Chantry Brewery

What inspired you to do the Brewlab course?
Id been home brewing for many years and I wanted to set up my own brewery. The Brewlab course looked the best to go on. I liked that there was a chance to brew at other breweries.

What areas of the Brewlab course were most beneficial to you?
All of them! Lab work, beer tasting, recipe work, the science behind brewing. Also the business side of the brewery, including advice on picking the right building and the pitfalls.

How beneficial did you find the practical side of the Brewlab course?
It was good to have a go at everything that we were taught in the classroom. No matter how good the teaching, you cant beat the hands on (microscope work, brewing, tasting the beer!)

Was there a part of the course you particularly liked/enjoyed?
I particularly enjoyed the day at the maltsters. It has come in useful seeing the process and knowing where my malt comes from that I use today. I also liked that all the tutors had worked in breweries and had done the work themselves.

Where do you work now?
At the brewery I own with my two partners. Chantry Brewery

What is your position?
Brewer/Director

If you decided you set up yourself, how is it going?
The brewery is doing very well. We have a 20BBL plant that we opened in 2012 and have doubled the size of the brewery this year having bought the premises next door. We did intend on buying a 10BBL plant but found it was only a bit more money for a 20BBL. We have also opened three pubs since 2012.

How much beer do you produce?
40BBL a week

Do you have a recipe you are most proud of?
Our first beer New York Pale (named after the stadium we launched it at). Its a 3.9% pale with Cascade and Centennial hops. It won best overall beer at the first beer festival we had beer at (Chesterfield).

What plans do you have for the future?
Probably keep the brewery the same size and buy more pubs.